☘️ The Tapa Weekend: March 15
St. Patrick's Day Parade, a play with José Sacristán and a couple of street markets.
By @IanMount and @AdrianBono | March 15, 2024 | Madrid | Issue #45
🎉 Welcome to a new issue of The Tapa: Weekend Edition! An English-language newsletter about what to do this weekend in Madrid (plus memes!)
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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend
It’s Friday again! And we have a few cool options for you despite the fact that—for a change—Madrid seems to be taking it easy this weekend. No big events, festivals or food rutas, so why not use this time to lay low and relax?
Really, sometimes all you need in these suspiciously high temperatures is a caña at the plaza with your friends to find endless bliss. The cherry on top? One of the options that we mention below.
Enjoy!
1. 🎭 Jose Sacristán in La Colección
Never had a chance to experience legendary Spanish actor José Sacristán? Now is the time. He is joined on stage by actress Ana Marzoa in La Colección (The Collection), in which they play a married couple of collectors trying to find an “heir” who will take care of their art collection once they die.
The Collection is a complex play about marriage, the passage of time, and the mysterious relationship between people and objects. The inspiration to create it came “after reading a news article in which a married couple of collectors wondered what would happen to their collection when they were no longer around”.
Sacristán and Marzoa play Héctor and Berna, a childless couple who have taken care of their art collection throughout their lives, sacrificing everything else for it. The play is written and directed by Juan Mayorga and this is his second production since taking over the artistic direction of the La Abadía Theater Foundation.
Considering how big both lead actors are it is likely tickets will sell out quickly, so make sure you get yours while they last.
La Colección. Teatro de la Abadía, Calle de Fernández de los Ríos, 42, Madrid. Through April 21. Check website for schedule.
2. Madrid’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade
Happy Saint Patrick’s, everyone! This Saturday, Madrid will host its second Saint Patrick's Day parade with over 500 bagpipers hitting the streets and parading through the city center.
The parade will start at the Metropolis building on Gran Vía before heading over to Plaza de España, and is expected to feature twice the amount of bagpipers that we saw last year. The city is trying really hard to turn Madrid into one of the world's major parade destinations alongside Dublin, New York, and London (and it seems to be working).
Besides musicians, the parade will also include dance groups, entertainers, and sports teams. And if you are a fan of Celtic music master Bras Rodrigo (pretty much the king of bagpipers here), he will be performing live at the Fitz Club alongside the winner of Guinness's Battle of the Bands. Don’t drink and drive!
St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Starts in front of the Metropolis building, Calle de Alcalá 39, Madrid. Saturday, March 16. 4:30 p.m.
3.🩰 Beaver Dam’s Yumé
If you’re looking for something more sophisticated because you’re not into getting drunk on a warm pint of Guinness this weekend, may we suggest Yumé by French-Swiss contemporary dance company Beaver Dam?
Yumé introduces us to a heroine whose shadow is stolen, and in her quest to find it, she embarks on a magical and mysterious journey that takes her through fantastical lands and introduces her to fabulous characters.
It is a wordless narrative, spun by a succession of images, inspired by Japanese fairy tales, Studio Ghibli animated films, and especially the Japanese animation series Nihon Mukashi Banashi.
The piece immerses us in an aesthetic dreamlike universe through dance and an exquisite use of all scenic elements: music, light, costumes and props. Check the video above to see what we mean.
Yumé. Centro Cultural Paco Rabal-Palomeras Bajas, C. de Felipe de Diego, 13, Madrid. March 16, 7 p.m. Tickets start at €5,25.
4.🧀 A Food Market: Mercado de Productores Planetario
This popular fresh produce market offers high quality products from growers’ farm straight to your table the first and third Sunday of every month. All fruit and vegetables sold have been grown in nearby locations, which reduces energetic consumption, respects the environment and supports the farming sector.
If you want to eat healthy while buying local, this is a great option for you. It also looks great on your Instagram stories.
Mercado de Productores Planetario. Av del Planetario, 16, Parque Tierno Galván, Madrid. March 17, 10 a.m. Free admission (just remember to bring a bag).
5.🛍️ A Street Market: Mercado de las Ranas
The Mercado de las Ranas is back this Saturday so if you’re wondering where to spend your hard earned euros, this is the place.
This street market (which we cover regularly here) is similar to the Portobello Road or Candem Town markets in London. This Saturday, stores participating in this mercado near Plaza Santa Ana, in the Las Letras district, bring their goods outside into the street so visitors can buy their favorite book, t-shirt or grab a slice of pizza on the go.
If there’s one thing we love about Madrid (and there are actually many), it’s the street market scene, and this one doesn’t disappoint. After a bit of retail therapy, grab a table at the plaza and sip a cool caña (especially now that it’s getting warmer).
You’re welcome.
Mercado de las Ranas. All along Calle de las Huertas in Las Letras, Madrid. Saturday, March 16, Noon to 7 p.m.
👨🏻💻 Viral Story of the Week
💃🏻 A side of flamenco with your Depeche Mode?
We love ourselves some Depeche Mode. Just like it is, we thought. We clearly didn’t know that iconic flamenco dancer Belén López would make it better.
Now, after their concert in Madrid, we do.
🔔 A Message From Our Sponsor
Secret Kingdoms is your English bookstore in Madrid. It specializes in Spanish history and literature, contemporary and classic novels, books for children and young adults of all ages, history and historical fiction, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, poetry, biographies and much more.
Located on Calle de Moratín 7 — a few blocks away from the Prado Museum — and with over 20,000 new and used books, Secret Kingdoms has something for everyone.
Find out more at www.thesecretkingdoms.com
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We’ll be back next week with more.